Method of decorating candles



Dec. 24, 1957 w. WEGLIN 2,

METHOD OF DECORATING CANDLES Filed Aug. 14, 1956 Ti -4". 1 1 INVENTOR I Mara? Ws'e'u/v AITO/Q/YEVS United States Patent METHOD OF DECORATING CANDLES Walter Weglin, Ceutereach, N. Y.

Application August 14, 1956, Serial No. 604,019

6 Claims. (Cl. 67-225) The present invention relates to a method of decorating candles and more particularly to a method of decorating candles to produce a polychromatic candle.

Heretofore, various methods have been used to decorate candles and to produce polychromatic candles. Such methods consist of successively dipping candles into masses of molten colored wax which adhere to the body of the candle to decorate it. However, in using such methods, only one color can be applied to a candle at one time. Also, since the candle to be decorated is placed successively from one colored mass of wax to another, the colors on the candle tend to blend and hence, result in a decorated candle in which the colors of the finished candle are different than the original colors. Furthermore, the colored wax from one dipping peels off into the subsequent dipping and deteriorates the color of subsequent masses of colored wax. If a wax which does not peel is used, the colored wax of subsequent dippings would tend to cover the colored wax of previous clippings thereby making it difiicnlt to produce a multi-colored candle. Moreover, such methods are expensive since large masses of expensive colored wax are used, and, if a change of colors is desired, or if the colored wax deteriorates, the whole mass of colored wax must be discarded.

One object of the present invention is to provide a method of decorating candles in which colors or other decorating material can be easily applied to the candle.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of decorating candles in which a plurality of colors or other decorating materials can be simultaneously ap plied to a candle in various desired patterns.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a method of decorating candles in which the colors applied to the candle retain their original hues and in which the colors may be blended only if desired.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a method of decorating candles in which deterioration of the colors is minimized and in which one color does not tend to cover the other colors.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a method of decorating candles in which the decorating colors used can be easily and inexpensively interchanged.

Other and further objects of the invention will be obvious upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiment about to be described, or will be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practice.

A preferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes of illustration and description and is shown in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the specification, wherein:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a finished candle decorated in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing a candle being inserted into the coloring dip to permit colors to adhere thereto; 7

Fig. 3 is a perspective view similar to Fig. 1 showing the candle being withdrawn from the, coloring dip with the decorating colors adhered thereto;

2,817,225 Patented Dec. 24, 1957 ice Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 2 showing the colors being applied to the surface of the candle;

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of a candle showing an alternative form of candle decoration which can be produced by the present invention; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the present invention.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, Fig. 1 shows a candle 1 having a wick 2 therein and decorated in accordance with the present invention. It will be noted from Fig. 1 that the candle 1 is decorated with a plurality of colored decorations; for example, red decoration a, blue decoration b and yellow decoration c, and that each of the colors in the decorated candle 1 shown in Fig. 1 is formed in a generally arched or spiral pattern around the candle 1. It will .be understood, of course, that the decorations a, b, and 0 have been shown as decorating the candle in a generally spiral attern for illustrative purposes only and that it will be further understood that the colors can be applied to the candle 1 in any desired pattern, as will be more fully described hereinafter.

In accordance with the present invention, the candle shown in Fig. 1 may be decorated by dipping it into a receptacle 3 containing a liquid 4 upon which are floated a plurality of melted colored wax particles 5, 6, and 7, as shown in Fig. 2, so that the colored wax adheres to the candle 1.

The liquid 4 upon which the colored wax particles are floated is preferably water, and for purposes of convenience of description, the liquid 4 will hereafter be referred to as water, but it will be understood that other liquids may be used and that whenever any reference is made to water herein, it includes any liquids upon which colored wax particles may be floated.

Preferably, the water 4 is heated to approximately 170 F. and the melted colored wax particles 5, 6, and 7 are then floated on the surface of the water 4. The water is warm enough to keep the color pieces 5, 6, and 7 melted. When the candle 1 is dipped into the water at the place where the colored wax particles are floating, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, the colored wax particles 5, 6, and 7 will adhere to the body of the candle 1. The water 4 is warm enough to soften slightly the outer surface of the candle 1 to permit a slight integration between the candle 1 and the colored wax particles 5, 6, and 7 and thus insure adherence of colors to the body of the candle 1. The candle 1 is then removed from the water 4, as shown in Fig. 3, and the colors are permitted to cool to form the colored decorations a, b, and c. In dipping of candle 1 in the water 4, the candle should remain in the water 4 only until the colors 5 to 7 have adhered to the candle. The candle 1 should not be kept in the water 4 for too long to prevent the body of the candle 1 from melting.

The candle 1 to be decorated may be made by any well-known method and from any well-known materials. However, for best results, the candle is made from the following composition, in which the percentages are given in terms of weight:

45 %A fatty acid, such as Hystrene 6%-A synthetic type of carnauba wax, sold by Mitchell Rand Corp. as No. 5115 2%-Carnauba wax The colored wax particles 5, 6, and 7 may be formed from the same composition as the body of the candle with color material added to give the wax particles their color. For best results, the parafiin wax used for both the candle and the colored wax particles should have a melting point of between F. and 127 F. While the above composition will give the best results, it will be understood that other compositions may be used without departing from the scope of the present invention.

In Figs. 1 through 4, the candle 1 is shown as being provided by three decorations, a, b, and c, which may be blue, red, and yellow, respectively, in a generally spiral or arched pattern. To form this spiral pattern, the melted wax particles 5, 6, and 7 are floated on top of the water 4 in spaced relationship to each other but close enough to each other so as to be engaged by the candle 1 when the candle is lowered into the water 4. The candle 1 is then lowered into the Water with a reciprocating twisting motion, as shown by the arrows in Fig. 2, so that each colored particle 5, 6, and 7 will adhere to the candle body in a spiral pattern and produce the spiral decorations shown in Fig. 1 when the candle is removed from the water.

By manipulating the candle 1 as it enters the water in a manner other from that shown in Figs. 2 and 3, different patterns ma be produced. For example, if the candle is s'pinned as it enters the water, the colors will be applied to the candle in a blended manner and it will tend to form streaks. If the colors 5, 6, and 7 floating on the water 4 are mixed together on the surface and a candle is worked into the blended colors, a candle having a blended color decoration will be obtained. It will be understood that any variety of colors and patterns may be obtained by changing the number and hues of the floating colors and by changing the manipulation of the candle.

It is also possible for the colors to be applied on the candle in scale-like incrustations. This is accomplished by floating colored wax particles on the Water which have a melting point only slightly higher than the temperature of the water 4. The floating wax particles form a gelatinous mass which, when adhered to the candle, produce a raised design in the form of scale-like incrustations.

When it is desired to change the colors of the tank 3, the colored wax particles 5, 6, and 7 can be easily and inexpensively skimmed off the surface of the water and other colored wax particles placed thereon. If it is desired to change the water of the receptacle 3, the Water may be easily and inexpensively drained therefrom in any well-known or conventional manner.

Fig. shows a modification of the candle shown in Fig. 1. The candle 10 is decorated with metallic spots 11 rather than with colored wax. In order to obtain this, powdered gold, silver, or other metallic color, such as a bronzing powder, is floated on top of the water and the candle 10 is lowered in the Water. The powder will adhere to the candle to produce the decoration shown in Fig. 5. It will be understood that, if desired, the bronzing powder can be mixed with the colored Wax and both floated on the water to produce a candle which has a colored decoration with a metallic design.

Fig. 6 illustrates another embodiment of the invention. A tank 15 is provided with dividers 16 and 17, to form separate water baths 18, 19, and 20. A differently colored wax particle 21, 22 and 23 is floated on the surface of each bath 18, 19, and 20, respectively. The candle 24 is then dipped into one water bath to have one color applied thereon and then dipped in the next water bath to have another color applied thereon. This continues until the desired decorative pattern is obtained. In Fig. 6, the candle 7.4 has been dipped with a twisting motion in the bath is so that melted wax particle 21 has adhered to the candle in the form of spiral decoration 25. The candle 24 is in process of being dipped in the bath 19 so that melted wax particle 22 will be applied thereon. After the candle is removed from bath 19, it will be dipped in the bath to permit the colored wax particle 23 to be applied thereon. It will be understood that the candle 24 can be dipped into a variety of colors in any desired sequence until the desired decoration is produced.

The Water is preferably heated to a temperature of 170 F. similar to the temperature of the water in the embodiment shown in Figs. 2 to 4, The composition. of

candle 24 and the colored wax particles 18, 19, and 20 may be the same as those given in connection with the embodiment shown in Figs. 2 to 4. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 6, a metallic decoration can be obtained by floating a bronzing powder on the water, in a manner similar to that set forth in connection with the candle shown in Fig. 5. The decoration of the candle can be altered by altering the manipulation of the candle as it enters the water in a manner similar to that set forth in connection with Figs. 2 to 4.

It will be seen from the above that the present invention provides a method of decorating candles in which the colors can be simultaneously applied to the candle in various desired patterns, in which the colors retain their original hues without blending, in which deterioration of the dipping media is minimized, and in which the colors of the dip can be easily changed, if desired.

As various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and without sacrificing any of its advantages, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. The method of decorating a wax candle which com-' prises floating a decorating material on a liquid warm enough to soften the wax of candles dipped therein and with which said decorating material is immiscible, and inserting a candle in said warm liquid to permit the decorating material to adhere to and to be integrated with the softened wax of said candle by partial fusion therewith.

2. The method of decorating a wax candle which comprises floating a plurality of melted colored wax particles on water warm enough to soften the wax of candles dipped therein, and inserting a candle in said Warm water to permit the melted colored wax particles to adhere to and to be integrated with the softened wax of said candle by partial fusion therewith.

3. The method of decorating a wax candle which comprises floating colored melted wax particles on the surface of Water warm enough to soften the wax of candles dipped therein, said colored melted wax particles having a melting point at least as high as the temperature of the water, and inserting a candle in said warm water to permit the wax particles to adhere'to the candle in scale-like incrustations and to be integrated with the softened wax of said candle by partial fusion therewith.

4. The method of decorating a wax candle which comprises floating a metallic decorating material on water warm enough to soften the wax of candles dipped therein and with which said decorating material is immiscible, and inserting a candle in said warm water to permit the metallic decorating" material to adhere to and to be integrated with the softened wax of said candle by partial fusion therewith.

5. The method of decorating a wax candle which comprises floating melted colored wax'in a plurality of pools of water warm enough to soften the wax of candles dipped therein, and dipping a candle successively in each of said pools of warm water to permit the floating colored wax to adhere to and to be integrated with the softened wax of said candle by partial fusion therewith.

6. A method as claimed in claim 2 wherein said water has a temperature of about F.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

